Storage battery plate and separator assembly



June 10, 1947.

G. N. PROCTOR STORAGE BATTERY PLATE AND SEPABATOR ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 14, 1944 2 ZSnnentor GeorgeNProei'ol I (liter neg Patented June 10, 1947 STORAGEBATTERY PLATE AND SEPARATOR ASSEMBLY George N. Proctor, Verona, N. J assignor to Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, West Orange, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application J anuary14, 1944, Serial No. 518,483.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Serial No. 424,632, filed December 2'7, 1941, now Patent No. 2,381,140, dated Aug. 7, 1945.

This invention relates particularly to an improved battery plate and separator assemblyhereinafter termed the battery plate assemblyfor storage batteries, especially storage batteries of the heavy-duty type, and it is a general object to provide a highly eflicient and durable battery plate assembly for such batteries. 7 t

A particular primary object of my invention is to interconnect mechanically a set of battery plates and intervening separators into a compact unitary'structure wherein the battery plates are sufficiently insulated from each other to withstand heavy vibration over long periods of service without development of shorts between adjacent battery plates. 7

It is another object to provide an improved battery plate assembly which has a high capacity per unit of volume. a

It is another object to provide a. tight comp-act battery plate assembly which'has a long life of service. I V

It is another object to provide a unitary battery plate assembly wherein the battery plates are effectively insulated from being short circuited by deposits of the highly conductive material typically present in the electrolyte of storage batteries.

A further object is to provide improved means I and structure for fulfilling the functions above stated.

Other objects and features of my inventionwill be apparent from the following description and the appended claims;

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a fractional elevational view of a,

2 3 Claims. (Cl. 136-81) 2 v s and of separator groups I3 interposedbetween adjacent battery plates. The battery plates H and I2 have upstanding lugs I la and 12a of which those of one polarity are at one side of the as-' sembly and those of the opposite polarity are at the other side. The lugs are suitably secured to conducting straps I4 and I5 preferably in the manner described in my patent abovementibned. These straps have respective posts 14a and [5a forming the terminals of the battery cell. This battery plate assembly is fitted into a battery case fractionally shown as 30. 2

Each separator group I3 suitably comprises three separator sheets which in going from negative to positive battery plates appear as follows: the microporous rubber sheet l5 having a flat side facing the adjacent negative battery plate and provided with spaced vertical ribs [6a on its other side, a flat perforated rubber sheet l1 lying against the ribbed side of the microporous sheet, and a flat glass wool sheet [8 lying against the perforated sheet as shown in Figure 4. In the battery plate assembly, the glass wool sheets are'preferably terminated on a line l9 somewhat below the top edges of the battery plates, and

the rubber sheets 16 and I! are extended above the battery plates as shown in Figure l. The perforating of the rubber sheet I! is however confined to the lower portion of the sheet below the line 19, While the upper portion [1a above the line 19 is made solid and thicker than the lower portion, the increase in thickness of the upper portion Ila being just slightly less than the thickness of the glass wool sheet l8 so that when the stack of battery plates and separator sheets are clamped together pressure will be applied to the glass wool sheet to hold it in place. The perforated rubber sheet I! and glass wool sheet I8 are securely held along their vertical borders to the interposed positive battery plates H by a clamp 20, made of a suitable insulating material;

the legs of which lie within the spaces between the rubber microporous sheets 16 and adjacent perforated sheets II as shown in Figures 2.and 4. l

The portion of the negative battery plates above the line I9 is reduced in thickness by receding the side walls at each side. In these side recesses of each plate and over the top and end edges there is provided a thin coating 2| of a suitable rubber compound, this coating being applied by spraying or dipping. The function of this coatassembly 10 comprising a'sta'ck' of alternately positive andfnegative battery plates I] and I2 ing is to prevent short circuiting of adjacent battery plates by settling of the difiused conducting material, which is typically present in the elec- 3 top portions of the battery plates and intervening separator sheets, this settling or depositing of the conductive'material having become known in the art as mossing or treeing in view of the sediment acquiring a mossy appear anceand hav' g a tendency t branch out as it ows. 1

In large-sited batteries the batteryplate as semblies are very expensive and it is very im-';

portant that every precaution be taken to realize the maximum possible life from the battery'plates: 1-- i To attain maximum life of the plates it "is im':

portant, among other things; that the plates'beheld together as a fixed unitary structure so that: .1 they will not sag or buckle, or be displaced relaiand 11, and grow out through the-apertures in the separators and come into contact with the plates to produce local short circuits. I have 'found however that such short circuits may be prevented effectively and'positively while maintaining a tight and compact assembly; of the battery" plates and"separatorsjas above described. This is accomplished by providing recesses 25 in the battery plates around the apertures. 23

through which the rods 22 pass, and lining the apertures ofthe negative and positive plates with insulating "grommets" 26 and 21' respectively.

7 These grommets have-flanged ends 26a and 21a tive to each other during long. periods ofuse of .v

the cell under conditions of heavy vibration, tilt ing, and repeated cycling-that is, charging and A. further important condition to be fulfilled for'irea'hzmg the mammumhfe of the battery; conductive'sedimentgofi'the electrolyte is prel i plates is that the active material in the plates, especially the negative plates, shall be prevented from undergoing any substantial expansion with cycling,-ior otherwise it is found that impurities will escape from the active material into the elec-' trolyte and there produce harmful results affecting the life and operation of the cell. [To prevent the expansion of the active material, with cycling,

it is important that the battery plates be under compression during servica and that, this compression be distributed over the whole side area of each plate. Preferablv-pressine is brought to bear on; the whole battery plate assembly by r tightly fitting the assembly into the battery-case, i and the compressive forc e on the individual battery'lpl ates is caused to be distributed over the; Whole areafof the plates by. making the separator 1 groups of uniform;thickness and with flat outer sides, and-of a' hollow construction so adapted that. the internalstress of fachseparator group when siibjected'to.a}given compression will be distributed substantially evenly over the. surface area of the group. Such hollow construction, is

attained. byproviding .the' microporous sheet I 6 with the'multitudinous ribs [6a, spaced typically at intervals of about /2.., which contact and bear a ainst the adjacent perforatedrubber sheet it- These ,ribstransmit the pressure through the adjacentbattery plates. This weakening in inseparator groups substantially, evenly. andsyet I permit ready flow of the jelectrolyte to all surface l areas ofithe battery ,plates' by .way of the chani'nelsf24 between the rib'sg. a r Althoughthe cross rods 22 are highly, essential to the needed rigidification of the battery plate.

assembly; they'fhave been a. source of, trouble in" that they have weakened the insulation between vide horizontal surfaces'bridging' the sp'aces between adiacentfbattery plates onto Whjch th I conductive material otthe electrolytemay settle and'tultimatelyproduce local shorts between the; plates. Typic tlly, in the; battery plate assembly abovedescribed; this conductive material fjyill V settlef'o'ntothje rools '22 injthefchannje'lsithi heme V themicroporous and perforated rubber sheets lfij materialsuchas of rubber, plastic, etc;

the positive =battery plates'may be 4" and of th' of the grommets may be 7 v :the flanges; of the grommets rna'y be l'gE Z-fthe ertures are annular recesses -28w?iri-the sidewall of'thefrecesse's so thatfthefouter' sid Inithis mbodirnent-fr hance'jis h don't et g ofth'e' washers with th'ro'ds 22 to prevent the glengtlr'of each grommet along the rods 22 is made substantially equal to the thickness of the respective'battery plates so that the ends of the grommet when in assembled position, will lie flush with the side surfaces of the plate. Thus, the grommet does not require any air space between the. battery plate and adjacent separator group r with the result that thej'com'pactness of the bat.-

tery plate assembly and the equalized pressure; distribution ontothe battery platesis maintained as above explained." Yet, by .havinglcontagfi 'of s vented from. growing out from the rods between the grommets and adjacent separatorgrojup's into 3 contactwith the battery plates;

-The grommets, are preferably'made'in one piece inserted into *the apertures 'ofthe battery plates; Q It will howevenbeunderstood that alternatively each grommet maycomprise twoor'rnoreipiece'sj and be then made of a relatively-hardinsulating In the preferred form of myinvention; I ins an insulating grommet in each positiveanld g l tive battery plate}- butefiective insulation of the battery plates may yet -be' obtained at the c'ros'sf I rods by putting grommets in the battery platesloff "Thei -following typical dimensions have been" found to give ;satisfactory results: The cross rods 22 may-have a diameter-"of: %";-the -thicknes's1o negative p ates fa"; the thickness of'the micr porous sheets I Wlt h'libS 1-2" andofthesepa .rator, sheets 5 I l and -IB -;'the-inside diamete 1 5% the diameter wall thickness of the flanges g andof the annuf 'f lar portion o'f'the grommetsbetween flanges e' 'f A second form of insulating means fforpre I venting hore 1 .eircui'ting adjacent battery embodiment of myinvention, th batterylplates" have apertures 28 for receiving the rods*22;--which" apertures-ar made Just-slightly larger tha diameter ofthe ro'ds; and surrounding these .ap

of the battery:-plat'esz iInthese recess 8a are inserted-insulatingwashers 2 9 "wliit': press fitted onto -the vrods 2'2) The thickness of these washers 'is} approximat ely equalth the depth 7 V v V ,o f he washers will be just flush with'the sideso plates; Th wa he fs. are pr f rabl ma f a new hard 1 mater l such; s r fiaru rubber conductive sediment that settles on the rods 22 from growing into contact With the battery plates.

While I have herein shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these embodiments are 11- lustrative and not necessarily limitative of my invention as the same are subject to changes and modifications without departure from the scope of my invention, which I endeavor to express according to the following claims.

I claim:

1. A battery plate assembly comprising a stack of spaced battery plates, a rigidifying rod extending through said plates, said plates having recesses in the side Walls thereof around said rod, and insulating members embracing said rod and disposed Within said recesses, said insulating members having the exterior side surfaces thereof substantially flush with the side surfaces of the respective battery plates.

2. In a storage battery: an assembly of alternately positive and negative battery plates and of intervening separators, a rigidifying rod passing through said assembly of battery plates and separators, and insulating members embracing said rod and embedded in the side walls of the battery plates of at least one polarity, the exterior side surfaces of said insulating members being substantially flush with the respective side surfaces of the respective battery plates so as to permit said battery plates and separators to be assembled in compact relationship.

3. In a storage battery: an assembly of alternately positive and negative battery plates and of intervening separators, the adjacent surfaces of said plates and separators being substantially flat for assembly in compact stacked relationship, a rigidifying rod passing through said assembly, and insulating means lining the hole in each of said battery plates through which said rod passes, said battery plates having annular recesses in the side wall portions thereof surrounding said rod, and said insulating means having end flanges engaging said recesses, said end flanges being substantially flush with the side wall surfaces of said battery plates.

GEORGE N. PROCTOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

